Manufacture of pyridine

Abstract

A process for the preparation of pyridine by dehydrogenating and cyclizing pentenenitriles.

I claim: 
     
       1. A process for the preparation of pyridine which comprises heating a pentenenitrile in an inert gas reaction medium at a temperature in the range 500°-600° C. in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a compound selected from the class consisting of molybdenum oxide, tungsten oxide, zirconium oxide, vanadium pentoxide, cobalt molybdate, nickel molybdate, bismuth molybdate and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein the inert gas is selected from the class consisting of nitrogen, argon, helium and mixtures of the foregoing. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature is maintained in the range 525°-575° C. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 3 wherein the catalyst comprises molybdenum oxide.